Constructional material



Patented July 154, 1931 .I

l UNITED s'raf1"l.=:s

ALBERT C- FISCHEB, or' cHIcAeo, ILLINoI-s, AssIeNoa To THE PHILIP um PATENT or-'FICE I* FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION' OF OHIO coNsrnUc'rIoNAL MATERIAL Application led. December 22, 1927. Serial No. 241,972.

mixed with bituminous material the hull portion anchors inthe bituminous material, and the fibers gather either around the hull por- 'tion or interlace with other tentacles emanatin from the hull.

Iy mixing cotton-seed. hulls as described, a loosely felted mat consisting of cotton fiber tentacles interlaced about hull fragments is formed, and upon extraction of the `bitumi` nous material the looselyT matted structure with the uniformly' interspersed hulls can readil be seen. The structure is unique and entire y new, is economical because the cotton-seed hulls are either fed to cattle with the meal or are a waste product on the market.

When cotton-seed hulls are mixed with bituminous material in a homogeneous mass,

which is 'accomplished by mixing in steamheated mixers and using liquid bituminous material and forcing therein thru vthe mixing operation the proper percentage of cot-v ton-seed hulls, a homogeneous structure is secured as described. I find upon a water absorption test over a period of twenty-four hours that the water absorption of this product is about seventeen per cent. I therefore treat the cotton-seed hulls with water under heat or steam for several hours, and I find that where the hulls are so treated the water terial show considerably less than ve per cent Water absorption.

My constructional material maybeproduced by (l) mixing cotton-seed hulls in a natural state with a waterproofed binder, and after suitable mixing reducing same to sheet form, (2) my material can be produced by treating cotton-seed hulls of the type described with steam or heated water for a definite period, which may be two, three or four hours, then drying same and incorporating same in a waterproofed binder, by which process a material will be produced having less water absorption. My third process relates to the preparation of this material by treating the cotton-seed hulls with water in a heated state and having one or two per cent caustic soda added thereto, and by two or three hours treatment, subsequent washing and drying and then incorporating same with a waterproofed binder I iind thataconstructionalmaterial can be obtained having less than live per cent water absorption, and with a continued treat-ment I can produce a material. having a water absorption of less than'three per cent. A structure such as is shown in the drawing is obtained which is entirely new and original, and in the successive stages of the processes described I find that the tensile strength of the material is greatly increased as the water absorption is lessened. I can further increase the tensile strength by introducing longer and stouter liber. This material may be extruded or rolled by pressure means, or moldedn The better water absorption results from a longer time required in the process and longer mixing'periods, and reflects the material in various stages in which it can be` used for inside or outside purposes, or anywhere where it would be suitable for constructional uses, primarily as an expansion joint the fragments of cotton-seed hulls felted into a mat and permeated with bituminous material; and

Fi re 4- is a view' similar to Figure 3, but showing the addition of separatelyacting Web-like reinforcing pieces and long fibers incorporated in combination with the felted fragments of cotton-seed hulls.

These fragments of cottonseed hulls are' obtainable on the market 'as -a more or less- Waste product, and, as clearly shown in Fig-x ure 1 the fragment of the Shel-l 1 is covered -f with more or less thickly clustered cotton lnters`2, which are'the unsalvaged fibers of the cotton. The shell. fragments for the most art are concave and will be` found in irregul)ar shapes, some of which havingl jagged edges and points, which .develops a roughened uneven margin, and the inside surfaces of the fragments shown as at 3 are pitted and roughened.

T he nap-like clustered linters covering the convex outer surface of these fragments give to the fragment the quality of adhering to another fragment, so that by bringing a quantity of these fragments together the nap-like cove-ring of linters will intertwine or interlock so thatthe fragments cling together and yet are separated for the most part by a loosely matted nap of linters. This is clearly shown in Figure 2.

A quantity of thesefragments matted together in this way leaves an unusually comressible matted mass. Consequently by mixlng a quantity ofthese fragments with bituminous material so' as to develop a felted, mat-like strip permeated with bituminous inaterial, by resorting to the process heretofore described I am able to develop a highly compressible paving joint which has unusual re-expanding qualities, and a strip thus formed will compensate for expansion of the concrete sections between which it is installed with the greatest efliciency. As an example, upon ex ansion of the concrete sections, which wi l impart pressure to the sides of the strip, the joint will readily respond to such pressure, and thus yielding compressibility will rmit' the sections of the concrete to exan j p A practical paving joint yisnot only expected to compensate for expansion of the concrete, but it must also be so constructed lthat it will compensate for contraction. For instance, when the sections contract the concrete theoretically moves away from the joint, thus enlarging the space occupied by the joint. Now, unless the material of the ljoint is capable of expanding and completely filling this enlarged space a crevice will be leftbetween the sides of. the joint and the concrete sections which will eventually be'.

filled u with dbris, water, street acids and other eteriorating matter which would destroy the functioning of the joint. A joint 'constructed in accordance with. the present invention, will, owing to the highly compressible and re-expanding qualities Vof the materials'used, kee this space completely filledupon contraction of the sections.

Aside from` the vadvantages above ex` roughened surface as at 3, Figure 1, and the v concave continuity of the fragments offer jagged and roughened projections to which the asphalt will adhere and cling much better than the smooth and-comparatively glossy surface of other hull-like materials.

Thisresult is also emphasized by the interlocking of the nap-like linters covering the outer surface of the fragments, particularly when it is considered that a part of these fragments are embodied in the strip as a felted mat with the bituminous material permeating the same.

The parallel stratification of these cottonseed hulls is not as pronounced as in the case of the usev of pieces of filling material that are longer than their width or thickness, but

Ithe same principle is involved, particularly with respect to those fragments of cottonseed hulls which happen to be-crushed in pieces 'large enoughfto respond to the flow set up in the warm, fiowable mass by the sheet forming apparatus, and in a quantity of these fragments of cotton-seed hulls there will be man fragments large enough to respond to this result.

In Figure 3, 4 represents the .paving joint, 5 the hullagments and 6 the interlocked or intertwin d nap of cotton fibers, the latter developing the matted felt like mass of fibrous material with the hull fragments separated one from another by a mixture of these cotton fibers and permeated bituminous material. In many respects these hull fragments when thus used are in themselves sepa-l rately actin Web-like reinforcing pieces` However, to increase the content of this particula-r kind of a filler I may use roofing not only in combination with the fragmentsv of cotton-seed hulls but also in a mixture in which the roofing scrap or other separately acting web-like reinforcing pieces are used.

In any of the mixtures that I would dej velop from the materials referred to I would type of joint.

always use a preponderance o f bituminous material, and I wish to emphasize this point, as it 1s invaluable 1n producing a practical In some rare instances there is a possibility that fifty per cent bituminous material and fifty per cent by weight of these fragments of cotton-seed hulls will be acceptable, but never would I use more than a fifty fifty mixture, and more frequently, in order to meet the specifications for the standard preformed paving oint material, I would recommend approximately seventy-five per Acent bituminous material and twentyive per cent by weight of fragments of cotton-seed hulls. It will not be necessary for me to go into detail as to why a preponderance of bituminous material is used, since those skilled in the art recognize this requirement as an unfailing necessity, and to the best of my knowledge there has never been an acceptable paving joint which has not contained a preponderance of bituminous material.

It is, ofcourse, understood that when I say seventy-live per cent :bituminous material and twenty-tive per cent fragments of cotton-seed hulls I use the term approximate to leave me a reasonable leeway, one way or the other, for it maywell be that I could cut the bituminous material percentage to as low as sixty per cent, and may even find some instances where a ifty fifty mixture will serve. This would be/the exception rather than the rule.

I can very well use this formula for a mixture in which the cotton-seed hullsare used in combination with roofing scrap, cocoanuthulls and five per cent long fiber, such as, cocoanut fiber, sisal etc., or seventy-five per cent bituminous material, fifteen per cent fragments of cotton-seed hulls and ten per cent roofing scrap. These proportions are all ineasured by weight and not by bulk.

I have heretofore discovered that a rubber contentin proportion suliicient to add elasticity to the preformed strip is an acceptable addition to1 any expansion joint material, and the same would apply equally well to the combination explained in the present application. In the event that the rubber content was added it would be in the form of either uncoagulated latex, reclaimed rubber, rubber latex, or any form of liquid rubber, and it would be added preferably duringthe mixing process. There is one consideration in the addition of a rubber content, I would not have to use, in this event, a preponderance of bituminous material as `the rubber content would supply the difference in a lower ratio of bituminous material, say for instance fifty-per cent bituminous material, twenty per cent fragments of cottonseed hulls by weight, ten per cent roofing scrap by weight and a twenty per cent rubber content.

There is another qualifying statement thatv should'be explained tointerpret the scope of the present invention as recited in the subjoined claims. I have been referring lto bituminous material. The bituminous material is in reality a binder, and forthe most part I'would prefer to use blown asphalt or oxidized asphalt as a binder. However, due to the fact that a rubber content, such' as above explained, used in combination with road oil or a macadam binder will take the place of blown asphalt and oxidized asphalt I will use the term waterproofing binder as embracing bituminous material or its equivalent. In reciting the invention in the accompanyingclaims the terms road oil While the relatively long fibers, such as,

cocoanut liber, hemp, sisal, and the like, are used for the reinforcing properties that they will lend to the strip, they also lace the disintegrated cotton-seed hulls together by intertwining with the nap-like cotton Iibers on the outside of the hull fragments, so that the felted` mat thus formed is practicallyv sewed'together so to speak. i

I claim:

1. constructional material comprising a preformed body consisting of a homogeneous mixture of al waterproofed binder, rubber material and cotton-seed hulls.

2. Preformed constructional material comprising a homogeneous mixture Lofyzwatering of cotton seed hulls having cotton fiberemanating therefrom, in a Waterproof binder, incorporating rubber material and reducing the resulting mass to sheetform.

6. The method of preparing a constructional material WhichA comprises the steps ofprepariiig a liquid, heated, water roof binder including arubbefr'` content, mixing therein cotton-seed hulls havingcotton fibers emanating from the hulls, and pressing saine to the desired form.

. 7. The method of forming a brousamatlike structure in a preformed, bituminous constructional material, Which'consists in incorporating cotton-seed hulls and cotton fibers in a liquid Waterproof binder including a rubber content thru a mixin operation,

cooling the resulting mass and re ucing same to proper form.

8. The process of constructional material which' consists in treating cotton-seed hulls, having cotton fiber` emanating therefrom, with hot water, subsequently drying said fibrous material and incorporatin same into a liquid Waterproofed binder of ituminous and rubber material, suitably miXin the same and subsequently cooling and re ucing to proper form.

9. The process which consists in treating cotton seed hulls, having cotton fibers emanating therefrom, with a solution of heated Water and two er cent caustic soda, suitably cleansing the ber so treated, drying same, mixing with a waterproofed, liquid binder including rubber material, cooling same after being mixed, `andreducing same to proper 10. Preformed 'constructional' material comprising a rubberized bituminous structure having cotton linters distributed therethrough, the cotton-seed hulls interspersed within the linters.

11. Preformed constructional material comprising a rubberized ,bituminous mass havin distributed therethru cotton liber and granu arI fibrous material.

l2. Constructioiial material comprising a preformed bod Aconsisting of a homogeneous mixture of a ru berized waterproofing binder and seeds, said seeds having a shell covered With emanating linters.

13. Constructional material comprising a preformed'bod consisting of a homogeneous mixture of a ru berized Waterproofed binder, seeds having a shell covered with emanating linters and linear fibers intermingled With the seeds.

14. The method of preparing a preformed constructional'material comprising the mixing of seed hulls, having linters emanating therefrom, in a rubberized Waterproofing binder, incorporating linear fibers in the mixture, and reducing the mass in sheet form.

15. An expansion joint comprising a preformed strip embodying in its structure a felted mass of disintegrated cotton seed hulls, the outer surface of the disintegrated hulls containing a nap-like covering of unsalvaged cotton fibers,and said mass being permeated with a rubberized Waterproof binder.

16. An expansion joint comprising a preformed strip embodying in its structure a felted mat of disintegrated cotton seed hulls, the outer surface of the disintegrated hulls cpntaining a nap-like covering of unsalvaged cotton fibres, said mat being reenforced by a lacing of relatively long fibres and permeated with a rubberized Waterproof binder.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 10th day of December 1927.

- ALBERT C. FISCHER.

preparing a preformed 

